I am scared and need help with my constant breathing problems

[Tt1]

Hello all,

I have been going through hell these last 2 months due to unexplainable shortness of breath. 24 hours a day, all day everyday. I had multiple tests done and all came back clear. This all started about 2 months ago, I had an upper respiratory infection and stomach flu (which made my Gerd return after 2 years!!!). Bascially because my nose was so plugged for 3-4 days, I had the sensation of suffocating all the time. I expected that when the sickness subsided it would subside too, but it didn't.

Now I had anxiety 2.5 years ago and it started with a massive panic attack and then a spiral of test after test. I had breathing issues very similar to this for 3-4 months and it got to the point where I was controlling my breathing all day and kept taking these deep breaths to get relief, but of course it would't help. When I stopped taking those breaths, it slowly calmed down and went away on its own. But this time I am not doing that at all, I am almost never taking deep breaths and the breathing is happening on its own without my conscious effort. So why is this happening again?

Everyone online who has this seems to always need to take deep breaths and such, as I was last time and I am not doing that at all this time. I look completely normal and can talk completely normal, yet I feel as though I am dying and suffocating, like my lungs won't absorb oxygen.

I had multiple xrays and ecg's, multiple blood tests and an echo cardiogram. I had a lung ct scan and all clear, 2 pulmonary function tests and also all clear. 2 pulmonologists said it is 100% not lung related and I even seen a cardiologist who says he does not think it is heart related either (still awaiting 24hout holter and stress test). I am only a 20 year old slim male, I have no history of asthma or heart conditions (immediately or family wise). Tried ativan a few times and it did absolutely nothing for me.

All I have to go on so far is that I now have GERD, and I also have slight anemia due to my blood disorder thalassemia minor (which just means I have slight anemia and I have had this all my life so clearly not going to cause an issue and only SLIGHTLY anemic). Iron levels are good as well.

Please I need help and support, I do not know what to do anymore. I have been to the er more times than I can count. Family thinks I am crazy, friends don't get it, docs think I am crazy and I am currently in the ER again because of this. Some have had this for YEARS, I can't live like this.

Please help.

[JohnC]

Hi Tt1, welcome to the forum. You are among friends and you are definitely not alone. I dont have a direct answer for you but i know what its like to have a health related issue that caused anxiety. I myself suffer from health anxiety ( HA ) not sure if you have ever heard of it or not but it can sure make things so much worse.
If you haven't seen it already you may want to check out a stickie that i recommend all the time, it's called HEALTH ANXIETY EXPOSED and it's in the general section of this forum. Pull up a comfy chair and grab a soda and go through the whole thing start to finish and watch the videos there great. Good luck

[MiST]

You need to try and relax. Your body will always get enough oxygen, even if it feels like your not getting enough.

Yout breathing is constantly regulated by your body, it could be that your actually overbreathing, taking in to much oxygen, in this case your body will actually want to limit your breathing so that carbon dioxide levels can balance out.

Try not to control your breathing, your body knows what it is doing, just let it do it. If you relax, your breathing will return to normal.

This is a very common symptom.

[Tt1]

You need to try and relax. Your body will always get enough oxygen, even if it feels like your not getting enough.

Yout breathing is constantly regulated by your body, it could be that your actually overbreathing, taking in to much oxygen, in this case your body will actually want to limit your breathing so that carbon dioxide levels can balance out.

Try not to control your breathing, your body knows what it is doing, just let it do it. If you relax, your breathing will return to normal.

This is a very common symptom.


I am not controlling the breathing at all. I just have this constant air hunger sensation. I am not taking deep breaths or breathing more than normal. I just have this constant feeling like there is a pillow on my face or as though I am not getting enough air.

It is funny because I realize that if I was lacking oxygen, my body would breathe faster. I realize that I cannot control it if I was really lacking oxygen. But I still feel like I am not getting enough air. I am very very scared and stressed.

I don't know if my anxiety is causing the sensation or the sensation is causing anxiety. I want to mention that I was completely 100% anxiety and panic attack free for a whole 2 years before this started. It all just started the day I got sick 2 months ago. I had the really bad shortness of breath with upper respiratoy infection in february, it lasted 4-5 days that time and as soon as the sickness went away, so did the hard breathing. I maintained my calm this sickness because I remembered how last time it went away, but then the shortness of breath never stopped this time.

I fear something nerve related, or that my heart somehow got a viral infection or just something went wrong. I have been cleared of almost 100% of possible physical problems. On one side I tell myself it must be anxiety because it happened before, and then I tell myself but I was anxiety free for so long and this all started at the culmination of my illness....is it a coincidence that I got sick and this started or is this something totally unrelated.

I just fear that I will have missed something HUGE and end up dealing with symptoms for months all along telling myself it is anxiety only to find out that it was something treatable. I am worried that I will be like this for years like some people and never have any relief. It is just a very hard time for me, I start school soon and I can't afford to be this sick.


By the way I really appreciate your responses.